it is sad that kollam,one of the most important cities in kerala , has only a very few super fast schedules to its name.......there are no long distance super fast services from kollam.......but smaller towns like kayamkulam have a lot of long distance services operating from the ksrtc depot there...................With the renovation of punalur kottavasal stretch of nh 208...ksrtc could operate more interstate services to madurai and tirunelveli.a daily bus to chennai and nagore via nh 208, is also feasible

This road is in a dilapidated condition due to sea wave attacks. The effort is commendable to revive the coastal raod which may change the Kollam - Paravoor stretch into a Tourism Corridor in future with more resorts in the Kollam - Paravoor - Varkala stretch. A snap of the coastal road in the Kollam - Varkala stretch:

[IMG]http://i41.************/mj1vg9.jpg[/IMG]

Pic courtesy - Manoj

Quilonjee, please also post the picture thats shows the sea on one side and the backwaters on the otherside of the road. If possible, also include a train that passes across the backwater. Such a scene is very rare in Kerala.

Expect minimum 5 years, if not more for the gauge converison of Punalur-Shencottah which is a ghat section with several tunnels. Kollam-Punalur stretch is comparatively cakewalk as it is on midlands, with no major bridges too. I am not sure how long it will take to construct the bridge across Kallada River at Punalur town.

Quote:

Originally Posted by navjot

i hope the punalur-sengottai stretch doesnt have to suffer the same fate n that the conversion in this stretch takes place at brisk pace.

bad news that we have to wait till feb 2010 for seeing a bg train b/w kollam n punalur...taking 3 years to complete conversion of a mere 45 km stretch.....this shows the lack of responsibility of the govt and the authorities.....i hope the punalur-sengottai stretch doesnt have to suffer the same fate n that the conversion in this stretch takes place at brisk pace.......moreover stations like kottarakkara kundara etc are yet to be upgraded to bg ststus.....moreover more amenites have to be developed in these stations as the crowd may increase

Navjot, I agree with your points. It is total negligence and cold storage attitude by the authorities that has delayed the commissioning. The mere 45 KMs stretch could have been completed in just 6 months. It should have been comparitively easier than a new line laying itself. There is the old MG line, and the land acquisition and construction of overbridges and approach roads were the other works. Instead of completing the works, there were arguments with the state governement as well land aquisition related issues, all put together delayed this most important railway project of Kollam district for almost 3 years. We are not sure when this will get completed.

There is no excuse for the authorities if they could not finish this work within this year. I stongly believe the people of Kollam should come forward and protest against this negligence and lack of responsibily of the authorities.

As you have mentioned, the important railway stations in this stretch like Kundara and Kottarakkara should be provided with proper infrastructure and amenities like any other BG status station. The platform length, rest room facilities and reservation centres should be improved. Since Kilikollur station is at Karicode in the city with lot of educational institutions around, the station should have more facilities and importance and can be renamed as Kollam East station.

it is sad that kollam,one of the most important cities in kerala , has only a very few super fast schedules to its name.......there are no long distance super fast services from kollam.......but smaller towns like kayamkulam have a lot of long distance services operating from the ksrtc depot there...................With the renovation of punalur kottavasal stretch of nh 208...ksrtc could operate more interstate services to madurai and tirunelveli.a daily bus to chennai and nagore via nh 208, is also feasible

You are correct. There are very few long trip buses from Kollam KSRTC bus stand to distant destinations, while there are a lot of long distance buses from Kottarakkara KSRTC bus stand (the biggest KSRTC bus stand in Kerala area wise.) I believe for the authorities the long distance trip from Kollam ends up at Thrissur as there are a couple of services to Trissur that start from Kollam.

It is good (thanks to Balakrishna Pillai and Ganesh Kumar) at least there are enough buses from Kottarakkara to distant locations.

Quilonjee, please also post the picture thats shows the sea on one side and the backwaters on the otherside of the road. If possible, also include a train that passes across the backwater. Such a scene is very rare in Kerala.

Jaleel Bhai, I think you are mentioning about the Paravur section. Right? I think there are a couple of snaps in the Kollam backwaters thread.

Expect minimum 5 years, if not more for the gauge converison of Punalur-Shencottah which is a ghat section with several tunnels. Kollam-Punalur stretch is comparatively cakewalk as it is on midlands, with no major bridges too. I am not sure how long it will take to construct the bridge across Kallada River at Punalur town.

Sudheesh, they are planning to lay the BG track in the same MG stretch except deviating a few locations. The existing tunnels and bridges will be retained and strengthened if it is possible as per the railway officials. No clear information regarding how it is done.

There was a proposal to retain the MG line from Punalur to Schencotta as a heritage hill railway type route like that in Nilgris, Darjling and Shimla. But then the cost of the new BG route will be a whopping amount.

I do not know what happend to that idea. I personally feel atleast some stretch of the MG section should be retained especially from Thenmala to Scehncotta. It will be a great attraction and cynosure for the tourists who come to Thenmala, Kuttalam and Palaruvi destinations.

Please do not assume that the proposal was to retain the Metre gauge and construct a new BG line. The idea was to leave the Punalur-Shencottah line as such, on the pretext of heritage, but the real reason was the huge cost for BG conversion it needs, even with the existing tunnels and bridges. Later because of objections on the ground that the ease of connectivity will be lost, that idea was shelved. Otherwise one would have to get down at Punalur by BG train, take another MG train to Shencottah and from there again take a BG to go further via Tenkasi.

There was an active southern railway discussions forum (a link in SR website) some time back, some active members there are now in SSC also.

I would like to advise to have a little control when using adjectives. I too have heard many times about Kottarakkara being the largest KSRTC bus stand, but only from those in Kottarakara, Punalur and Kollam, including my relatives. I cannot understand how it becomes the largest! Yes, it has a comparatively wide yard to park the buses, I didn't see anything more than that. A station becomes big when it operates the max services, has the largest fleet, handles the largest number of passengers etc.

Everybody knows that KSRTC bus stations are bad and poorly maintained. But I would always refrain from posting something along with a 'comment' which is contradictory or which may make others who are seing it for the first time to laugh. See the photo you had posted, for me it appears nothing other than a simple concrete yard with few dilapidated, battered and worn out tin boxes which we call 'buses' (all local buses, not even a long distance one in that pic) and a few jaywalking rural folks. (BTW I am much familiar about Kottarakkara bus station, my cousin owns a business, the 'National Photo Store' which is housed a few metres from it).

Some positive signs are there by which we are seing some developments under BOT for some of the bus stations in Kerala. I think work on Kozhikode has already started. TVM Central station also is in the cards. Kannur has already a modern bus station, (not KSRTC) which has been developed under BOT. Kottarakkara is nowhere in the picture.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emerging_Quilon

while there are a lot of long distance buses from Kottarakkara KSRTC bus stand (the biggest KSRTC bus stand in Kerala.)

State government-owned Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd has chalked out a plan to set up a titanium complex consisting of a 10,000-tpa titanium sponge plant, titanium metal, alloy components and downstream products.

The project will come up on land adjacent to an existing factory of Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd at Chavara in Kollam district.

KSIDC recently invited expressions of interest from companies for associating with the Kerala government as a strategic partner. The government will hold a minimum 26 per cent stake in this project.

Karma Chandran, GM and in-charge of the project, could not give the exact cost as it was the first such mega titanium project in the country. However, he said that a project of this size may cost anywhere between Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 1,500 crore.

Titanium tetrachloride, the raw material for sponge, would be arranged by KSIDC at market price from Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd, a state-owned company. The government will arrange infrastructure facilities such as land, power and water, and will facilitate regulatory clearances, Chandran added.

It may be noted that KMML was in the process of setting up a 500-tpa titanium sponge plant on 15 acres at Chavara in Kollam district. This project is being implemented in collaboration with Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre at a cost of Rs 95 crore, funded by VSSC since the end-product is meant for them. "The project is progressing as per plan and is scheduled for completion by this year-end," the KSIDC official said.

Titanium, known for its excellent corrosion resistance, high strength and low density, is widely used for aero-engine and airframe structures in both civilian and military aircraft. Titanium-alloy components also find applications in satellite launch vehicles, rockets and missiles. Titanium is extracted in the form of titanium sponge from its oxide minerals through magnesium reduction of its chloride intermediate. However, the sponge production process is complex and cumbersome. Technical knowhow for the production of titanium sponge has so far been available with a select group of developed countries comprising Japan, USA, CIS, UK and China. As of now, India's total titanium requirement is being met by imports even though it possesses a large reserve base of titanium minerals.

The KSDIC official pointed out that Kerala was the only state with possibilities of setting up titanium projects, besides Tamil Nadu where a similar project was stalled recently due to protests from locals. "From beach sand Ilmenite is produced and from Ilmenite titanium tetrachloride (TT) is produced and finally from TT downstream products such as titanium sponge can be produced," the official explained, adding that these special products found application in aerospace and aviation industry

Courtesy - Project Monitor

The government has decided to acquire 300 acres of land near the TS canal banks for the upcoming Titanium Sponge factory at Chavara. The factory is coming up very near to the KMML complex premises.

There is a furore for any development activities in Kollam. I do not think the air strip will create any hindrance for the Kollam Pooram (that happens only once in a year.) That day can be decalared a holiday for the Aviation Academy as well. The air strip is a good initiative for more development projects arrival in Kollam. Once the air strip becomes a reality, Kollam will get more strategic and importance in the aviation map which may lead to the incoming of more projects in different parts of the district.

The same uproar and furore happend with the Kollam Port when the idea was initiated. When most of the other cities are dreaming to have these kind of projects but lack of space is their crunch issue we are spoiling our chances of development though we have the space and natural gifts. A city cannot develop if the local people behave like this.

The TS canal rehabilitation is yet another example in this regard. There seems some kind of protest against the Kollam Techno Park taking electricity form the Kundara feeder.

All these shows development really depends on the attitude of the people. If people are committed and determined for their city's development even the politicians cannot do anything to hamper it.

The proposed Airstrip is coming up at the Aashramam maidan which is the vast plain land seen in the picture. The Hockey stadium and the sports complex coming up at the banks of Ashtamudi lake is shown with the red square box.

The jutted out land at the top left corner is surrounded by the beautiful Ashtamudi lake on all three sides. The Children's Park, Adventure Park, Aashramam British Residency (Guest House) and the famous Aashramam Sree Krishna Swamy Temple (Kollam Pooram is the culminating program of the temple festival) are also shown.

It is very important for this project to stay in Kollam district. Kollamites should realize if they miss this opportunity then they better stop talking about development itself. If aashramam airstrip is not feasible the district authorities and Kollamites should help GoK in identifying a location somewhere else in the district. At any cost Kollam should not lose this project.

It is very important for this project to stay in Kollam district. Kollamites should realize if they miss this opportunity then they better stop talking about development itself. If aashramam airstrip is not feasible the district authorities and Kollamites should help GoK in identifying a location somewhere else in the district. At any cost Kollam should not lose this project.

Robin, I also agree with your points. We should not miss out this opportunity. If Aashramam is not feasible then the airstrip can come up at the outskirts probably somwhere near to Kundara or Kottarakkara with necessary land acquisition. This airstrip can probably be developed into a full-fledged airport in future if enough land is acquired now itself. Any location between Kottarakkara and Kundara will be ideal as density of population will be relatively less there. This airport will definitely put Kollam into the aviation map and probably can become a supporting airport for the Trivandrum airport in future.